Status of farmers'wives in work participation and decision making: a case study of Cooch Behar district, West Bengal Guha Anamika*, Pal PK, Das KK1 Dept of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar-736165, West Bengal, India 1Dept of Agricultural Economics, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar-736165, West Bengal, India *Email forcorrespondence: anamika.guha.1@gmail.com
Online published on 25 July, 2018. Abstract Farmers’ wives constitute the major part of rural women and are regarded as the all time assistants of their farmer husbands. Although they share abundant responsibility on different household works but they are grossly neglected in the domain of decision making especially on financial matters. The study was conducted to analyse the participation status of farmers’ wives in different agricultural activities and decision making in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. It was seen that although the wives were engaged in different activities yet out of 24 hours they devoted 40 per cent hours a day on general household activities and 18 per cent on farm activities. Contrary to the work of some earlier workers the present study showed that the status of farmers’ wives was impressive in decision making as compared to work participation. However their participation in financial matters of the family was less. It was concluded that the farmers’ wives should be given due respect in operating and decision making in financial matters to empower them in true sense. Top Keywords Farmers’ wives, activity, decision making, participation. Top |